New research from Cleveland Clinic highlights the benefits of giving nurses a voice in administrative decisions.
To assess how participation in shared governance models was associated with job satisfaction and clinical improvement participation, researchers anonymously surveyed clinical nurses, including assistant nurse managers, at several Cleveland Clinic hospitals in 2023.
Researchers found nurses were more likely to report higher job satisfaction and greater participation in clinical improvement projects when they were involved in shared decision-making.
However, many clinical nurses skipped survey questions about shared decision-making, suggesting it is unevenly implemented on units or that some nurses may be uncomfortable participating in such decisions, the authors said.
Tina DiFiore, MSN, APRN, the study’s primary investigator and an advanced practice nurse at Cleveland Clinic’s Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, said the findings demonstrate the value of allowing nurses to participate in governance councils and clinical improvement meetings, even though it requires them to step away from the bedside.
“Although participation in shared decision-making may require time, resources and a hospital culture that fosters communication and ongoing improvement, shared governance programs that foster shared decision-making are an important investment,” she said in a Dec. 23 news release. “Clinical nurses need to be given time to participate in committees and other decision-making activities. We need access to data, including budgets and quality improvement process outcomes and we need to have influence over day-to-day clinical unit decisions.”
